Do Advertisers Shape How we View Gender

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Do Advertisers Shape How we View Gender?

In the current global world, the media has become very pervasive and influential in shaping views and perceptions. The emergence of the new media has increased accessibility of different facets of the society to the information contained in the media. The corporate world is increasingly exploring the emergent opportunities for its advantage. Since the information that is portrayed by the media is usually not screened to determine its viability for different ages, the entire population is currently being fed with complex information regarding various issues. Among the issues that are increasingly being exploited by the media pertain to the aspect of gender roles. The issue of gender roles is a sensitive aspect that has been compounded by various controversies since historical times. The perceptions that the public has on the gender roles has diverse impacts on the relationships that they establish and nurture amongst themselves. In particular, these greatly influence the aspects of sexuality, body image and self image that both the genders assume. Although most of the populations hold varied views regarding gender roles, advertisers greatly shape how we view gender.

In her research, Kilbourne contends that advertising is aimed at empowering one gender over the other (457). In most instances, men are presented as being physically dominating over their female counterparts. This allows them to exploit the sexual power and beauty that women are portrayed to posses. From a psychological point of view, the media influences the decisions that individuals currently undertake in different ways. The information that is presented in the media is considered to be true and reflective of the values and virtues that the society upholds. For this reason, individuals tend to agree with the respective information and largely base their decision making on this.

It can not be disputed that most advertisers present men as being more powerful than the women. This has greatly influenced the manner in which men behave towards women. Statistical evidence indicates that increasingly, women look applause the adverts that place immense power in the men or male figures. Further, the entire population tends to be allured to the advertisements that objectify the woman’s body or oppress the status of women in the society. Interestingly, Kilbourne cites that women appreciate and flock to the advertisements that belittle them in different ways (463). Indeed, this trend is worrying and has adverse effects on the holistic wellbeing of the women. It also implies that the women are greatly influenced by the advertisements as well as information contained in the commercials.

In a significant percentage of advertisements, Messner indicates that women are always presented as being in distress or are troubled in some way or the other (58). They are portrayed by the media as needing help. Notably, it is not only their bodies and physical power that are presented as being deficient but their holistic environments and gazes are also captured o be having some kind of deficiency. A close observation of the advertisements shows that the body of women is elastic, flexible and can shrink to take up a very small amount of space. Coupled with the fact that she is always portrayed to be close to the lens and staring in them, this presents her as an individual who is very vulnerable.

The male model in such scenarios is always present and it certainly takes over the situation. The woman at this point can no longer focus on any other thing other than the might of the man. She immediately feels contended and safe as her eyes plead with the man or help. Seemingly, such scenarios are a common incidence in the advertising industry. However, they have negative impacts on the public perceptions of gender. In other words, they play a leading role in reinforcing the negative gender stereotypes regarding the gender roles. In essence, sexualizing the women roles makes them powerless and increases their risk of being manipulated by the presumed dominant male gender.

In his research, Parkin ascertains that the implications of negative advertising are wide and varied (82). Besides perpetuating the perceptions that women are very weak, they have denied women an opportunity to pursue different opportunities that they can equally perform well. A survey of television advertisements indicated that men are seldom included in advertisements of cleaning products, home furnishings or cosmetic products. In contrast, women are seldom seen in advertisements of wide screen televisions or barbecues. Such advertisements broaden the gender gap and make it difficult for women to penetrate and benefit equally from wide ranging fields that are considered to be masculine.

In this regard, women are confined to the domestic spheres that are also considered to be requiring lesser commitment as well as energy. Witt asserts that in most advertisements, women are portrayed as maintaining ideal households and primarily taking care of their family as well as husbands (15). The housewives in the advertisements are presented as being not only happy but also contended with the habits of relinquishing their personal need and spare time for the sake of the family. In most cases, they dedicate themselves to doing the respective activities in a bid to ensure that their families feel cared for and loved.

Notably, day time commercials never focus on single families regardless of the fact that these are common in the current society. This implies that more emphasis is placed on the role of the man in the family. Further, some advertisement place great emphasis on the insecurities as well as guilt that women face or struggle with. Usually, these are aimed at assuring them that they can use the products being advertised to enable them have a perfect household. Arguably, the respective advertisements tend to be very conservative. In essence they show that the existence and entire wellbeing of a woman is solely depended on the welfare of her family. A woman in this consideration can not effectively address her own insecurities without having to rely in some way to her family. Her happiness in this regard is considered to be derived from her family’s wellbeing.

Men on the other hand are portrayed as being celebrity spokespeople, professionals or husbands. From a psychological point of view, the internalization of the respective images by women makes them to focus more on being an ideal housewife rather than exploring the opportunities that are available in the corporate sphere. The respective internalization also makes the women to align their goals and objectives to the standards and levels of a mother and ideal housewife. This is demeaning and confines the thinking of a woman to the level of her household or motherhood.

The evening commercials have also played a leading role in shaping the gender roles as well as perceptions that are held by the society. In this regard, Bordo indicates that these portray women as struggling between their family roles and career roles (52). This is unlike the men counterparts that are portrayed and heralded as parents, spouses or husbands. The relative advertisements revolve around cosmetics and household products. The domestic products usually inform them on how they can effectively manage their households without neglecting their families. This reinforces the negative thinking that women have not succeeded in playing their roles well. The cosmetic products on the other hand tend to persuade them that they can improve their beauty within a short period of time. Likewise, this makes them feel that they are not beautiful unless they apply make up. To a great extend, this increases their vulnerability to use of harsh cosmetic products in a bid to improve their beauty.

In sum, advertisement greatly influences the way we view gender and the relative roles. The emergence of the new media and its pervasive nature has increasingly exposed a significant percentage of the population to the gender views that it promotes. In a bid to enhance sales, the corporate sphere has placed great emphasis on the gender roles during advertisement. The cumulative effect has been very harmful especially and greatly perpetuated the gender disparities. The manner in which both men and women are treated is greatly influenced by the information contained in the advertisements. As it has come out from the study, the behaviors and decisions of both genders are also to a great extent shaped by the advertisements in the media.

Works Cited

Bordo Susan. Beauty re discovers the Male Body. Ways of Reading. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2005. Print.

Kilbourne Jean. Two ways a Woman can Get Hurt: Advertising and Violence. Rereading America. Boston: Bedford, 2004. 455-75. Print.

Messner Michael. Center of Attention: The Gender of Sports Media. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2004. Print.

Parkin Katherine. Food Is Love: Advertising and Gender Roles in Modern America. USA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. Print.

Witt Susan. The Influence of Television on Children’s Gender Role Socialization. Childhood Education, 76.1 (2000): 13-20. Print.